THE OFFICE of the President is denying that a member of the Judicial and Legal Services Commission (JLSC) met with President Anthony Carmona to discuss the appointment of former Police Complaints Authority director, Gillian Lucky, as a judge of the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago.

Newsday was informed that the concerns of certain members of the JLSC over Lucky’s appointment were relayed to the President.

However, this was denied in a statement issued by the Office of the President yesterday.

“Such (and it never occurred), in any event, would have been highly improper and inappropriate,” the statement said.

“The Office of The President wishes to unequivocally state that no member of the JLSC in an individual capacity has sought to meet with, or attempted to contact His Excellency The President, to discuss certain matters of the JLSC referred to in the Newsday article of September 3, 2014,” the statement continued.

The Office of the President reminded that the JLSC was an independent body appointed in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago.

“The actions and decisions of the JLSC are confidential,” the statement said.

“The report of the alleged approaches being made by a member of the JLSC to His Excellency as stated in the said article, has crossed the rubicon of being characterised as mere misinformation. It is simply untrue and serves to undermine and bring the JLSC and the Office of The President into disrepute,” the statement added.

There has been some disquiet over Lucky’s appointment, with questions being raised whether she could be regarded as impartial as a Judge, pointing to very strong political views she has expressed publicly in her newspaper columns, and her television series. There are also concerns that the appointment should not be made while the investigation into the leak of the PCA report on the operations of the Flying Squad is in progress, and her outspokenness on matters relating to politics.